as in pushing
to force one's way
the sort of greedy person who is always the first to elbow to the front of the buffet table at every party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of elbowing
And Intel, which is finally elbowing its way into the AI chip market, had its best day on Wall Street since 1987 on Friday after stronger-than-expected earnings.
—
Jordan Novet,jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Nick Foligno’s elbowing penalty on Nils Lundkvist early in the second led to Matt Duchene’s power-play goal that gave the Stars the lead for good.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
Anaheim’s Jeffrey Viel then took elbowing and roughing penalties with 15 seconds left that gave Nashville a man advantage for four minutes, and boos rained down from the Honda Center at the end of the second period for the second straight game.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
Anaheim's Jeffrey Viel then took elbowing and roughing penalties with 15 seconds left that gave Nashville a man advantage for four minutes, and boos rained down from the Honda Center at the end of the second period for the second straight game.
—CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Jeffrey Viel then took elbowing and roughing penalties with 15 seconds left that gave Nashville a man advantage for four minutes, and boos rained down from the Honda Center at the end of the second period for the second straight game.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
That’s what happens with Netflix’s saucy eight-part adaptation of Julia May Jonas’ spicy novel, a sly one that’s intent on elbowing academia in a humorous way.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2026
The show follows Wiig’s wannabe patrician Maxine Dellacorte-Simmons, who is hell-bent on becoming the belle of 1960’s Palm Beach by elbowing her way into the upper echelons of Florida’s most exclusive beach club, the Palm Royale.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 3 Mar. 2026
Georgia’s 15-point loss last month in Gainesville was nip and tuck until 6-foot-11, 260-pound sophomore Somoto Cyril’s ejection for elbowing the face of Florida center Rueben Chinyelu with the Gators leading 21-19.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
Jordan Novet,jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Nick Foligno’s elbowing penalty on Nils Lundkvist early in the second led to Matt Duchene’s power-play goal that gave the Stars the lead for good.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
Anaheim’s Jeffrey Viel then took elbowing and roughing penalties with 15 seconds left that gave Nashville a man advantage for four minutes, and boos rained down from the Honda Center at the end of the second period for the second straight game.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
Anaheim's Jeffrey Viel then took elbowing and roughing penalties with 15 seconds left that gave Nashville a man advantage for four minutes, and boos rained down from the Honda Center at the end of the second period for the second straight game.
—CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Jeffrey Viel then took elbowing and roughing penalties with 15 seconds left that gave Nashville a man advantage for four minutes, and boos rained down from the Honda Center at the end of the second period for the second straight game.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
That’s what happens with Netflix’s saucy eight-part adaptation of Julia May Jonas’ spicy novel, a sly one that’s intent on elbowing academia in a humorous way.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2026
The show follows Wiig’s wannabe patrician Maxine Dellacorte-Simmons, who is hell-bent on becoming the belle of 1960’s Palm Beach by elbowing her way into the upper echelons of Florida’s most exclusive beach club, the Palm Royale.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 3 Mar. 2026
Georgia’s 15-point loss last month in Gainesville was nip and tuck until 6-foot-11, 260-pound sophomore Somoto Cyril’s ejection for elbowing the face of Florida center Rueben Chinyelu with the Gators leading 21-19.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elbowing
Verb
-
Brunson took the opening that gave him and ripped the game open from there, scoring 14 of the Knicks’ first 33 points and pushing them to a 33-25 lead after one.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
-
Say what’s real without pushing too hard or trying to control the outcome.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
Gas prices, housing costs and groceries are squeezing people who are working hard yet still falling behind.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
Prices for everything are higher, squeezing already tight budgets to the breaking point, with no end in sight.—
The Virginian Pilot And Daily Press Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elbowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elbowing. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
